Expandable and collapsable container

ABSTRACT

A shipping container that is expandable and collapsible. The expandable and collapsible shipping container includes an upper half and a lower half. The upper half may fit over and slide onto the lower half. At least one linear actuator may be activated to apply an upward force to the upper half. The upper half thereby is pushed upward and the shipping container is expanded.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shipping container that expands and collapses and, more particularly, to an expandable and collapsible shipping container that includes an upper half, a lower half and at least one linear actuator.

Currently, shipping containers are used frequently to ship goods from one country to another. After the manufacturing of shipping containers, the shipping containers must be transported from the manufacturer to exporting companies. When the shipping containers are being transported to the exporting companies, typically the shipping containers are empty. Therefore, the space that is taken by the containers is wasteful and costly. Further, when the shipping containers need to be stored without goods within them, the containers tend to take up a lot of space.

As can be seen, there is a need for a compact shipping container for transporting and storing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an expandable shipping container comprises: an upper half having a top, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall; a lower half having a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the upper half fits over the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the lower half; and at least one linear actuator having a shaft and a body, and wherein body is attached to the floor, and the shaft is against the top of the upper half, wherein when said at least one linear actuator is activated, the top piece applies force against the upper half and lifts the upper half upwards relative to the lower half.

In another aspect of the present invention, the at least one linear actuator is a plurality of linear actuators.

In another aspect of the present invention, the plurality of linear actuators comprises four linear actuators attached at the corners of the floor.

In another aspect of the present invention, the linear actuators are activated by manually cranking the linear actuators.

In another aspect of the present invention, a battery is attached to a motor in the at least one actuator.

In another aspect of the present invention, the front wall of the upper half comprises at least one door connected to the upper half by a hinge.

In another aspect of the present invention, the front wall of the lower half comprises at least one door connected to the lower half by a hinge.

In another aspect of the present invention, the at least one door is opened and closed via a door latch and a door latch handle.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrated with an upper door and a lower door in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention in a retracted position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrated with an upper door and a lower door in an open position; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a shipping container that is expandable and collapsible. The expandable and collapsible shipping container includes an upper half and a lower half. The upper half may fit over and slide onto the lower half. At least one linear actuator may be activated to apply an upward force to the upper half. The upper half thereby is pushed upward and the shipping container is expanded.

The present invention may include a collapsible shipping container. The present invention may save space while transporting an empty container and thereby may lower costs. Therefore, companies and governments that are transporting the containers may transport more containers as compared to a non-collapsible shipping container. The present invention may include an automatic version with a battery and a manual version with a pop out crank.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, the present invention may include an expandable and collapsible shipping container. The shipping container may include an upper half 10 and a lower half 12. The upper half 10 may include a top, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall. The lower half 12 may include a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall. In certain embodiments, the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the upper half may fit over the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the lower half. Therefore, the upper half 10 may be able to cover the lower half 12, with the walls of the lower half 12 being adjacent to the top of the upper half 10.

In certain embodiments, the present invention may include at least one linear actuator 24. The linear actuator 24 may include a shaft that fits inside of a body. The liner actuator 24 may be a mechanical linear actuator. A mechanical linear actuators typically operates by conversion of rotary motion into linear motion. Conversion is commonly made via a few simple types of mechanisms. A lead screw, screw jack, ball screw and roller screw actuators all operate on the principle of the simple machine known as the screw. By rotating the actuator's nut, the screw shaft moves in a line. A wheel and axle actuator such as a hoist, winch, rack and pinion, chain drive, belt drive, rigid chain and rigid belt actuators operate on the principle of the wheel and axle. A rotating wheel moves a cable, rack, chain or belt to produce linear motion. A cam actuator functions on a principle similar to that of the wedge, but provides relatively limited travel. As a wheel-like cam rotates, its eccentric shape provides thrust at the base of a shaft. Other actuators, such as hydraulic, pneumatic, piezoeletric, and electro-mechanical actuators may be used with the present invention.

The body of the linear actuator may be attached to the floor and the shaft may be pressed against the top. Therefore, when the linear actuator is activated, the shaft may apply a force against the upper half and thereby lift the upper half upwards relative to the lower half. The present invention may include two or more linear actuators 24. For example, there may be one actuator 24 attached at each corner of the floor. As mentioned above, the linear actuator 24 may be a mechanical actuator 24 and therefore may be cranked manually to expand the container. The actuator 24 may further be an electro-mechanical actuator 24 in which the actuator 24 contains a motor that may be connected to a battery 26. A user may activate the battery 26 using a switch which may activate the actuators 24 and expand the container.

The shipping container of the present invention may further include doors to gain access to the inside. The shipping container may include upper doors 14 secured to the upper half 10 by hinges 18. The shipping container may further include lower doors 16 secured to the lower half 12 by hinges 18. The lower doors 16 may align with the upper doors 14. The doors 14, 16 may be opened and closed via handles 20 connected to a latch 22.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An expandable shipping container comprising: an upper half having a top, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall; a lower half having a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the upper half fits over the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the lower half; and at least one linear actuator having a shaft and a body, and wherein body is attached to the floor, and the shaft is against the top of the upper half, wherein when said at least one linear actuator is activated, the top piece applies force against the upper half and lifts the upper half upwards relative to the lower half.
 2. The expandable shipping container of claim 1, wherein the at least one linear actuator is a plurality of linear actuators.
 3. The expandable shipping container of claim 2, wherein the plurality of linear actuators comprises four linear actuators attached at the corners of the floor.
 4. The expandable shipping container of claim 1, wherein the linear actuators are activated by manually cranking the linear actuators.
 5. The expandable shipping container of claim 1, further comprising a battery attached to a motor in the at least one actuator.
 6. The expandable shipping container of claim 1, wherein the front wall of the upper half comprises at least one door connected to the upper half by a hinge.
 7. The expandable shipping container of claim 1, wherein the front wall of the lower half comprises at least one door connected to the lower half by a hinge.
 8. The expandable shipping container of claim 6, wherein the at least one door is opened and closed via a door latch and a door latch handle. 